Shower heads typically discharge therefrom a spray of water in a conical pattern. It has also been known to provide the discharge of a pulsating spray stream from a shower head, using a propeller with a shutter for alternatively covering and uncovering a spray outlet to cyclically interrupt flow of water to the discharge apertures. In recent years shower heads have been provided with alternative multiple spray features, namely a usual shower spray or a pulsating shower spray. Such concepts are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,019 and No. 3,958,754. In such prior disclosures a shutter means is provided that is selectively rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shower head to direct the inflow water either to one or the other of the two sets of discharge apertures. Such spray-or-pulsating shower heads utilize complex diverter constructions that are costly.
Thus, one object of this invention is to provide a shower head that is constructed to selectively discharge therefrom a regular spray or pulsating spray, and which is characterized by simplicity and inexpensiveness of construction.
Another object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive shower head for discharging selectively therefrom a regular spray or a pulsating spray, and with control of selectivity between the sprays being achieved by use of a simple, pivotable shaft that pivots about an axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shower head.
And a further object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive shower head for selectively discharging therefrom a regular spray or a pulsating spray, and wherein the principal parts of the shower head are molded, with use of a seal between parts that not only provides sealing with multiple parts, but whose resiliency also provides an axial accommodation, during assembly, for parts of varying dimensions.
Further objects and advantages will become apparent to one skilled in the art as the following description of the invention proceeds.